I Listen To All Of This

Nov 8 2016

The Music of Andreas Ulvo

 

andreas-ulvo-unchangeable-seasonsSince the US Presidential election has taken many of you to the breaking point of a nervous breakdown, this seems like an ideal opportunity to formally introduce you to the music of Andreas Ulvo.

His name has come up many times before this, both on this site with various projects and also on my eMusic and Wondering Sound recommendations columns.  The Norwegian pianist, composer and photographer has the soothing and introspective calm of a wintertime fireplace, which, really, all of us could probably use today.

andreas-ulvo-light-and-lonelinessFor solo projects, Ulvo has two recordings.  The most recent is the 2016 release Unchangeable Seasons.  Like his 2011 debut Light & Loneliness, the music has an elegance and a grace made for solemn Sunday mornings and those Saturday nights when the weekend electricity has finally died down and a sense of peace is longed for.  Ulvo increases the level of activity on Unchangeable Seasons, where a take on Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca” has the cyclical action that flirts with playfulness.  But for the most part, the music is embodied by tracks like “Kjempevise-slåtten,” which have the hypnotic effect of swirling mists, but possess a chill that cuts to the bone.

(Available at:  Amazon | eMusic )

The one real divergence between debut and sophomore release is the vocal contribution on the latter’s title-track.  The song’s pop music overtones are interspersed with gorgeous flurries of piano and strings, and that give and take between the gentle vocal passages and the furious instrumental passages is, at times, rather breathtaking.

Ulvo likes to add interludes of improvisational fragments, striking images that aren’t really there for their individual personality, but instead possess a value as facilitator and support for the album’s persona viewed as a single entity.  And as a matter of striking imagery, sometimes it’s those scenes between the scenes that add the essential narrative that turns a simple story into an epic tale.

andreas-ulvo-slagr-softspeakerUlvo’s collaboration with the trio Slagr was a compelling display of how drama is no obstacle to creating serene music.  2012’s Softspeaker had Ulvo bringing his Nordic Jazz-classical-folk form of expression to mesh with the Norwegian folk of the trio of cellist Sigrun Eng, vibraphonist Amund Sjølie Sveen and the hardanger fiddle of Anne Hytta.

The Nordic folk element speaks strongest on this gorgeous recording.  The melodies are succinct and clear and beamed wide like a friendly smile.  The rhythmic component that balances this out, however, is what really gives this recording its depth and personality.  The way Ulvo shifts between a harmonic partner with cello and a rhythmic conspirator with vibraphone and fiddle creates a balance between two prominent features, and allows both to shine.  And that’s why this album is perfect for the first rays of morning light cracking open the nighttime or driving through the city in the middle of a rainstorm… there’s a tranquility and a liveliness to this music that is adaptable to any kind of setting.  This music is in harmony with its surroundings, no matter what they might be.

(Released on the Atterklang label.  Available at:  Amazon | eMusic )

Ulvo is also a member of the Eple Trio.

Eple Trio - "Universal Cycle"Of their 2014 release Universal Cycle , I wrote that it is the kind of music for drifting away to, but that trio of pianist Andreas Ulvo, bassist Sigurd Hole and drummer Jonas Sjøvaag ramp up the voltage on the details and the nuance, so that tiny sounds carry far and wide.  It’s not sleepy music, but it is made of the stuff of very active dreams.  It engages without challenging.  It immerses without overwhelming.  It is quite beautiful.

My own opinion is one that believes that this trio embodies so much of what is possible from the Nordic Jazz genre.  Their balance of jazz improvisation and folk influences, the merging of minimalism techniques and dramatic surges of intensity, the ability to morph between song structure and unstructured expressionism and the way their dreamlike imagery can provoke both emotional and cerebral reactions all speak to just how vibrant and evocative their music is.

There’s been an exciting development about some of their older and live works that I’ll be announcing in a column soon, likely in the aftermath of the year-end blitz.  But for now, check out a track from their 2014 release…

(Released on Shipwreckords.  Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | eMusic )

(And you can read my original write-up on this site by following this LINK.

Hopefully some of that music will help get you through the US election or, really, any day when you need a dose of serenity for a soundtrack to your day.

Let’s end with a video from Ulvo’s 2016 solo project Unchangeable Seasons…

 

*****

By • Artist Overviews, I Listen To All Of This • 0

Aug 27 2016

The Candle, the Bridge, the Sea: The Music of Steve Hudson

 

Steve Hudson Outer BridgeToday’s column features the music of NYC-based pianist Steve Hudson.

He has a solid array of diverse projects… chamber, groove, straight-ahead, soundtrack and more… and what’s always grabbed my attention is the way facets of his songbook are brought to life by each of the different ensembles, the nature of one ensemble highlighting certain components that other ensembles mute as they look to different facets to light the way ahead.  The mutability of those compositions, and the way that they maintain an essential nature, a core personality impervious to the currents of change, it’s the kind of thing that breeds familiarity in the same way it excites the ear to hear what else there is to discover in what was previously thought to be known.

Let’s begin…

 

Outer Bridge Ensemble – Determined

Steve Hudson - "Determined"Hudson’s most recent album, Determined, was recorded with his Outer Bridge Ensemble.  With this recording, the gold is in the groove.  There’s title-track “Determined” and its casual kick-back-and-groove that occasionally shoots up out of its seat in wild euphoria.  That attitude continues with the casual cool of “Galactic Diamonds,” where the ensemble lets the melody drift in space before shepherding it along with a bit more purpose.  The pacing of the album and the way the ensemble modulates the cadences, it provides the melodies the necessary time to breathe, to fully mature before the next groove carries them away.  On a track like “Galactic Diamonds,” it’s all the difference between profound melodic statements and a nice melody that’s only a sidenote to the groove.

The pacing also opens things up so that the array of percussion instruments get their voice heard.  A song like “Salute” crackles with a live-wire electricity, but the easy-going disposition means the details don’t get lost in the mix.  And when it happens that a groove is switched out for expressions more akin to moonlight, all the casual pacing that led up to the moments of “New Beginnings” and “Wanderin’” allows the song to resonate with even greater strength.

Your album personnel:  Steve Hudson (piano, organ, Rhodes), Mark DeJong (saxophones), David Freeman (conga, djembe, percussion), Jerome Jennings (drums, percussion) and guests:  Soren Nissen (bass), James Zollar (trumpet), Carsten Rubeling (trombone) and Oren Neiman (guitar).

This Self-Produced recording was released in 2013.

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Soundcloud page.

Available at:  Amazon

*****

Steve Hudson Chamber Ensemble – Galactic Diamonds

Steve Hudson - "Galactic Diamonds"On 2010’s Galactic Diamonds, it’s the melody that moves things along.  Whereas Determined shaped the world through the seismic shifts between grooves, the Steve Hudson Chamber Ensemble views the world through the eye of the melody.  Introductory track “Tune With Tango” is just the opening salvo of melodic painting from a quartet that includes violinist Zach Brock, cellist Jody Redhage and percussionist Martin Urbach.  “Mingus Moon” takes a dramatic cut of a melody and changes the song from a simmering intensity to untamed wildness just by altering the speed and curvature of its delivery.

And then there’s “Keep It Simple,” a song that makes the distant warmth of a chamber jazz piece as friendly as can be with a melody that smiles with some pop music cheerfulness.  The jazz-folk “Wanderin'” is no less friendly, but its camaraderie is meant to be enjoyed in silence and watching the sun set peacefully over the horizon.  On the other hand, the melody of “Galactic Diamonds” is the invitation for those whom the sunset signals only the start of the day’s fun.  And “Funky Hobbit” is almost a precursor to the 2013 release Determined.

On an album that’s defined by its melodies, the conversational patter of percussionist Martin Urbach is particularly welcome, both for the expansion of its language and the tastefulness of its restraint.

Your album personnel:  Steve Hudson (piano, melodica), Zach Brock (violin), Jody Redhage (cello, vocals), and Martin Urbach (drums, cajon, percussion).

This Self-Produced was released in 2010 on Groovaholic Music.

Listen to more album tracks at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | CDBaby

*****

Steve Hudson – Shine

Steve Hudson - "Shine"And if Determined and Galactic Diamonds reflected the vision of Steve Hudson existing at one extreme or the other, his 2008 recording Shine showed how things shook out when he kept things closer to the heart of jazz.  There’s no abiding theme to the music or a prevailing sound… it’s just straight-ahead goodness no matter how the music comes out.  Some of its individuality can be traced back to Hudson’s use of two different casts for the recording.  But more of it has to do with vision, of revealing the entire shape of a project through the presentation of its different facets.

The up-tempo opener “Boomba” sends off all kinds of fireworks between the melodic strikes from trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, trumpeter James Zollar and the baritone sax of Claire Daly, and the way Hudson’s piano weaves in and out of the woodwind’s flight patterns adds all kinds of texture to a song that boasts plenty of it.  But then there’s tracks “Autumn Stroll” and title-track “Shine.”  Both are cut from raw moonlight.  Peter Eldridge sings it that way.  The clarinet and alto sax of Oscar Noriega and Mark Dejong play it that way.

And that’s how this supremely enjoyable recording goes.  No matter the speed, no matter the vintage of jazz, the ratios of blues to bop to post, each song is a little gem that shines bright in its own sweet way.

Your album personnel:  Steve Hudson (piano, Rhodes), Pascal Niggenkemper (bass), Mike Noordzy (bass), Claire Daly (baritone sax), James Zollar (trumpet), Peter Eldridge (vocals), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Marcus Rojas (tuba), Oscar Noriega (clarinet), Mark Dejong (alto saxophone), David Freeman (drums) and Jerome Jennings (drums).

This Self-Produced album was released in 2008 on Groovaholic Music.

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | CDBaby

*****

On the Horizon

Upcoming on the horizon is a new trio recording.  Prepping for that session, Hudson has been hitting some live shows with two different trios:  Bassist Hilliard Greene and drummer Rudy Royston comprising one unit and bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Gerald Cleaver the other.  No word on whether any or all of these musicians will appear on the recording.  Hudson is also working on a new chamber project, contributes to a new recording by bari saxophonist Claire Daly and a film short called “Beast” by Naava Feingold, which will get released in early 2017.

Steve Hudson Outer Bridge 3And more!

And there’s even more music to explore.

Be sure to check out other albums on Hudson’s Bandcamp page.

And then there’s also audio and videos on Hudson’s website.

*****

By • Artist Overviews, I Listen To All Of This • 0

Aug 6 2016

Sometimes guitarist Mike Lorenz reminds me of 1980’s Bill Frisell, and that’s alright by me

 

Mike Lorenz column topI haven’t exactly held back when it comes to expressing my adoration for the music of Bill Frisell.  It was guitarist Frisell, pianist Thelonious Monk and bassist Charles Mingus that first catapulted me into the first real stages of immersing myself in all things Jazz.

As with any artist of any medium who is truly dedicated to their craft, Frisell’s prevalent sound has changed over time.  New visions are formed, new avenues are explored, the perpetual conversation between the artist and him-herself never truly ends.  The artist changes, and thus, so does the manifestation of their creative pursuits.  I’m glad Bill Frisell doesn’t sound like he used to, but there are times when I listen to one of his older album, and it triggers a wistful thought about how an album might sound today if he were to somehow revisit those older voices.  Asking that would be like asking an artist to time travel, to go back to how they were back then, because, really, that’s the only way to recapture those moments in any kind of genuine fashion.  So, we listen to those old albums of how the artist was, and in a way, it’s almost as if we are traveling back in time, because naturally those older albums conjure up memories of when we purchased the album, when we first listened to it, and all of the ways that music stamped its mark on the timelines of our lives.

However, another way to vicariously relive those moments is when a different artist bottles up something similar as they, too, go on their own personal path of creative development.  Guitarist Mike Lorenz is currently one of a small handful of guitarists I go to when I’m craving some of the 1980s Bill Frisell sound.  Back then, Frisell was working with a mix of potent ambient drone and a hard precision as if he were wielding the melody like a blade.  Albums like 1983’s In Line and the excellent comp of that period, Works, were two staples of my early-morning listening routine.  I loved how they could lull me into an abiding sense of serenity even when the music rose up and attacked.  The music was massively contemplative, even when it surged up and roared.  From his digs in Bethlehem, PA, Mike Lorenz has been doing the same for on his latest recordings.  You should know about his music.

Let’s begin…

 

Mike Lorenz – Riverside

Mike Lorenz - "Riverside"The latest release by Lorenz is a live recording from a performance at the 2015 Riverside Jazz Festival.  One of the essential elements of Frisell’s 1980s sound was how he transformed an ambient drone into waves of dissonance.  Opening track “E Minor” launches right into that approach.  A completely improvised piece, it begins as a murmur, then gradually spikes the intensity up higher and higher.

Bassist Justin Sekelewski and drummer Kevin Ripley lock into Lorenz’s flight patterns.  Ripley is plenty talkative on drums, which really needs to be the case, because it stops the drone passages from ever becoming sleepy and it also helps frame the context of the more explosive moments and mitigates the risk of guitar ever coming off as unnecessarily screechy.  Sekelewski shifts between melodic subtitles to Lorenz’s guitar and rhythmic reinforcement and misdirection to drums, depending on which way the melody blows.  It’s a lesson in the way subtlety can move mountains.

“Paragraph” is a lively tune, but its hazy melodicism maintains a sense of mystery, and, also, prevents it from developing into straight-ahead tedium.  Frisell’s more lively tunes often gave the impression of running through a thick fog.  Both “Paragraph” and subsequent track “Marie” hit that sweet spot, with the former focusing more on the running motion and the latter with an emphasis on the ephemeral presence of the fog.

The fourth and final track on this EP is “New One for Ornette,” and this time the trio leads right out with the furious side of their drone-roar spectrum.  And yet, even here, the thoughtful phrasings and the scaling of intensity between the trio members combine to present an introverted side of things even when they’re unleashing sheets of flame.  And, from the album’s contemplative opening notes and up to these final moments, the slow build of intensity leads to a satisfying conclusion to a very nice recording.

Your album personnel:  Mike Lorenz (guitar), Justin Sekelewski (bass) and Kevin Ripley (drums).

The album is Self-Produced.

Listen to more of the album at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp

*****

Mike Lorenz – I Am Watching My Day Slowly Disappear

Mike Lorenz - "I am watching my day slowly disappear"Lorenz has the same trio on his 2015 studio recording I Am Watching My Day Slowly Disappear.  And as opposed to the potent tranquility and controlled fury of Riverside, this set of tunes drowns in distortion and scatters in random motions and has a thick, smoky presence.  It also has plenty in common with Frisell’s 1985 release Rambler.  The song “Paul Motian” (who, coincidentally or maybe not so coincidentally, was the drummer of these Frisell recordings) speaks to the heart of this form of expression.  On this, it’s especially appealing the way Ripley’s drums keeps circling rapidly around the slow footfalls of Lorenz’s guitar, while the bass of Sekelewski fills in the shadows in between.

For the edge, “Everything’s On, All the Time” flashes sharp teeth and those precise melodic phrases become distorted growls, as do the pairing of “Phase Phrase” and “Phrase Phase.”  And when the trio strays closer to the calmer side of town, “Marie 1” and “Marie 2” find a perfect balance of tranquility and hyperactivity.  The melody and motion feed off one another, their contrasting qualities enhancing the subdominant elements in each.  It’s also the kind of thing where both a cerebral and emotional connection can be made concurrently.  “Marie” also made an appearance on Riverside, and hopefully that composition theme will be a recurring thing throughout Lorenz’s discography.  It’s also nice to witness that Lorenz’s sound is omnipresent whether in the studio or a live setting, that this sound is innate to him and not to the whims of a one-time improvisation or studio manipulation.  It’s also fine music.

Your album personnel:  Mike Lorenz (guitar), Justin Sekelewski (bass) and Kevin Ripley (drums).

The album is Self-Produced.

Listen to more of the album at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp

*****

Mike Lorenz – Of the Woods

mikelorenz_ofthewoodsThis does not sound like Bill Frisell, not even a little bit at any time.  However, Of the Woods was my introduction to the music of Mike Lorenz.  It was included on one of my very first recommendations columns when I first came on board eMusic for their 17 Dots blog.  It’s basically a straight-ahead modern jazz recording.  There are times it sounds like it’s going to enter the nu-jazz territory of Brian Blade Fellowship, but then it returns to a more conventional sound.

When I revisit this 2011 recording years later, I still find its moody ambiance, crisp melodies and how it occasionally goes wandering off from a structured path more than a little enjoyable.  And while it doesn’t fit with the Frisell 80s theme, it’s definitely an album I’m happy to recommend.  It’s also nice to hear a comparison between Lorenz’s later trio recordings and this earlier, quintet session.  What stands out to me is that, with the trio sessions, it’s the way the trio converses that’s the highlight, whereas with the Of the Woods quintet, it’s more about the topic of those conversations.  As with any story, sometimes the best part is the tale and sometimes it’s the way the tale is told.

Your album personnel:  Mike Lorenz (guitar), Mike Cemprola (alto sax), Matt Mitchell (piano), Brian Howell (bass) and Matt Scarano (drums).

The album is Self-Produced.

Listen to more of the album at the artist’s Bandcamp page.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | eMusic

*****

Mike Lorenz column endAnd the albums recommended above are only a few of what’s available.  Be sure to check out Lorenz’s other stuff.

Link Summary:  Artist site | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

 

By • Artist Overviews, I Listen To All Of This, Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2015 Releases, Jazz Recommendations - 2016 releases • 0

Aug 4 2016

Kristina Dutton has some songs I like

 

Kristina Dutton largeI wander the internet looking for cool new music.  Yes, I have my routines.  I check out the new release bins at various retail sites.  I compile my lists and gradually whittle them down.  I listen to all the promos that hit my inbox/mailbox.  But what I most enjoy doing is just going onto an audio site and typing in a random keyword and seeing what comes up.  Mark Clifford’s Dirty Snacks Ensemble led to today’s column.

Kristina Dutton is a violinist from the Berkeley, California scene.  She doesn’t appear to have an artist site (well, aside from her Bandcamp page, and that’s what triggered this post), so there’s not much background I can give you.  But that’s okay, ’cause this post is about the music.

UPDATE:  Kristina Dutton does, in fact, have an artist site, and it’s really good.  Plenty of information on her various projects, including some mentioned below.  Here’s a LINK.

Her Bandcamp page doesn’t have a proper album, per se, but there’s a bunch of nifty songs for sale, and all of them coming from different and rather intriguing projects.  Here’s some of my favorites to get you started…

 

Rain by The Fen

This is the one that got me hooked to go through the rest of Dutton’s music.  The Fen, a duo of Dutton and guitarist Chris Rejman, and based on scant information available, appears to have created the song “The Rain” as part of a soundtrack to a movie by Kim Anno (more on that below).  The music does have a strong cinematic presence, and its formless melodicism that sometimes coalesces into gorgeous imagery in some ways reminds me of the music of Bill Frisell but also some of the alt-classical and post-jazz prevalent to the current music scene.

I’m not sure what the status of that movie is, but this song is included on a recording titled Sketches, Mid-West, and the album is no less gorgeous than the track that led me to it.  Here’s a LINK to check it out on Bandcamp.  At some point, I’m likely to write further upon it.

But for now, here’s that awesome tune…

Check it out on Bandcamp.

And here’s a thirty-second promo video for the movie this song was intended for…

*****

Violin/English Horn Duo with Kyle Bruckmann

I’ve featured the music of Kyle Bruckmann on several occasions, both on this site and back in my eMusic & Wondering Sound days.  Despite a busy listening schedule geared toward new releases, I still revisit his 2012 recording Cracked Refraction (LINK).  And I’ve got a work-in-progress column draft that features albums with literary themes, and it’ll include his 2014 release …Awaits Tristero’s Silent Empire.

Bruckmann makes his mark on both oboe and English horn.  He goes with the latter for this tune.  Dutton and Bruckmann develop the melody like a strand of vine, twisting over and upon itself to where it appears that multiple threads exist… and as a consequence, maybe they do.  It all begins with thoughtful pauses and careful assessments, then gradually becomes more fluid and free, and all the while maintains an essential focus.

Check it out on Bandcamp.

You can also check out more of Kyle Bruckmann’s music on Bandcamp, too.

*****

Violin/Koto duo with Kanoko Nishi

I love the koto.  It’s a stringed instrument that somehow always has an angelic voice even when the musician is playing it with a demonic passion.  It sighs like a cloud floating peacefully above the sun and it hums deeply like Mother Nature as the electricity of a rainstorm gradually subsides.

Here’s a picture of what one looks like…

Kanoko Nishi

On this duet, Dutton’s violin joins up with the koto of Kanoko Nishi-Smith (pictured above).

Considering that the song lasts a mere eight minutes, they traverse a remarkable range of tones and tensions… and all of it is beautiful.  This song, like many on Dutton’s page, leaves me wanting to hear more.

Check it out on Bandcamp.

And here’s a LINK to an interesting duo collaboration between Nishi and Aram Shelton on soprano sax.

*****

The Dirty Snacks Ensemble – Tidy Universe

Dirty Snacks Ensemble - "Tidy Universe"I mentioned this ensemble in the column intro.  Dutton plays violin on this compelling post-jazz recording.  I’m not going to write anything about the album here, but before too much longer, my thoughts on Tidy Universe will be revealed in my inaugural recommendations column on The Bandcamp Daily.  Instead, I’ll share the brief anecdote about how I first discovered an oddball track on Soundcloud titled “Dirty Snacks Ensemble,” and I featured it in a column much like this one, where I had wandered the internet one evening and found some neat songs to put the spotlight on.  In each instance, the musicians contacted me and inevitably asked, “How the hell did you even find my song?”  “Dedication” is my typical answer to that question (which also happens to be the truth), with a follow-up comment to get in touch with me if they ever put something more together to go along with their oddball track.  Clifford, in fact, did exactly that, and years later I’m absolutely gratified by how wonderful that recording is.

Here’s a track from that album…

And here’s where you can listen and purchase it on Bandcamp (LINK).

And I’m absolutely thrilled by the coincidence that today’s column happened on exactly the same kind of night wandering the internet that, years ago, led me to the music of Mark Clifford, which, tangentially, led to the music of Kristina Dutton.  Music discovery is one of those things that can remind each one of us how grateful we are to be alive for the opportunity to experience it, and when that act of discovery weaves into our own personal timelines, etching those moments into our memories, it’s as if that music was always with us, transcending time and consciousness and simply existing, all along.  We all get out of it what we choose to.  Those are some of my thoughts, which tend to be at the mercy of the potent mix of nostalgia and lovely music.

*****

Kristina DuttonAnd one last time, here’s where you can check out more of Dutton’s music (featured above) on Bandcamp (LINK).

And here’s the Bandcamp page (LINK) for her group The Fen, which got this whole column started in the first place.  It’s called Sketches, Mid-West, and it’s already something that’s growing into an addiction for me personally.  Maybe you, too.  Go check it out.

*****

By • Artist Overviews, I Listen To All Of This, These are songs that I like • 0

Apr 12 2016

This Wide Open Expanse, Ever-changing: The Music of Diego Barber

 

Diego BarberAside from being one my favorite musicians on the modern jazz scene, guitarist Diego Barber signifies the starting point of my transition from the jazz of the past to that being created in the present day.  Many years ago, there were a few of us on an online jazz forum that made the commitment to dive into the modern jazz scene and share news of the new releases we were discovering.  Diego Barber’s new (at that time) recording was one of a handful of albums that made a real impression upon our small group, and it was one of a handful of albums that signaled the start of my dedication to the new jazz releases listings (which, eventually, led to the creation of this site).  Over the years, I’ve written columns about the musicians I discovered in those early days.  Diego Barber is one.

Hailing from Lanzarote of Spain’s Canary Islands and now residing in NYC, the guitarist travels the sonic territories of jazz, folk and classical with comparable ease, and much of his music reflects a perspective that he doesn’t necessarily see a need to compartmentalize the music influences.  In fact, Barber explains that “the common denominator is the language of my own music, which is influenced, among other things, by my classical training.  This provides me with the musical and technical resources to compose, and from there, it is all adaptation and evolution based on instrumentation, knowledge acquired daily, and of course, my mood at the moment I initiate a new work.”  The reward of this approach is Barber’s singular voice on guitar and how it informs each project in new and thrilling ways.  That’s what today’s column is about.

Let’s begin…

 

Diego Barber – Calima

These are the first sounds from the discography of guitarist Diego Barber…

Those opening moments of pure serenity on “Piru” carry throughout Barber’s 2009 release Calima, even when the music’s temperature rises a few degrees, even when the music pauses in hushed silence.

Diego Barber - "Calima"There is something refreshingly easy-going about this music… a quality that doesn’t change just because the pace of the music does.  “Catalpa” sees Barber’s quartet of drummer Jeff Ballard, bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Mark Turner maintain a quick-footed tempo, spurring the melody forward so they can get to the meat of the development and just start soloing.  And “Virginia” flirts with a groove as they scoot right along, but even these flurries and bursts of activity aren’t sufficient to lessen the tranquil effect of tracks like “Richi” and “Desierto,” which have Barber weaving his guitar into languorous saxophone lines, twittering drum chatter and the shadows of basslines into a bundle of sunny afternoon peacefulness.  There’s an arresting tunefulness to this music that keeps the attention rapt.

It’s the perfect mix of calming ease and lively activity.  It’s the kind of concoction that keeps the brain transfixed even as the music lulls the heart into a lazy day calm.

The album ends with the fascinating twenty-one minute piece “Air,” which really drives home the point that Barber’s vision incorporates just as much folk and classical as it does jazz, but even more salient, the proof that his ability to enchant extends far beyond deft melodic expressions and reaches out to horizons beyond that are no less riveting.

Your album personnel:  Diego Barber (guitar), Jeff Ballard (drums), Larry Grenadier (acoustic bass) and Mark Turner (saxophones).

Calima was released on Sunnyside Records.

 

Diego Barber – The Choice

A few years later, Barber’s 2011 release The Choice came out.

diegobarber_thechoiceBarber worked with two different trios on this recording.  Ari Hoenig replaced Jeff Ballard on drums.  Both Turner and Grenadier returned for Barber’s sophomore release, but about half of the album tracks had Barber switching them out for the sax-bass duo of Seamus Blake and Johannes Weidenmueller.

The Choice built on the foundation of Calima, but flexed a bit more muscle this time around.  The wide-open beauty was still there, but so, too, were more compact expressions, wrapped tighter around the melody and in possession of tempos that were as often jagged and punctuated as they were susurrant.

The choppy motion of “Jose’s House” has an interesting way of mixing in the gentle expressionism of Barber’s guitar, presenting an appealing incongruousness, as if two competing conversations shared an equal level of interest.  “Ailanto” works a similar seam, though comes stronger with an angular melody and the motion of rough seas.  On the other hand, “Chicago” had a loftier presence, echoing Barber’s debut on more than one occasion.

Unsurprisingly, the album tracks that featured Turner and Grenadier were far more reminiscent of Calima, while those tunes (excepting the gorgeous opening track “To Annie”) that had Blake and Weidenmueller in the sax and bass positions were representative of this new direction.  But even with the changes in personnel, all the tracks sound like they came from the same session… it was just a matter of how much Barber exerted his own influence on a particular song and the way he chose to do it.  Barber smooths out some of the rougher edges when left to his own devices, but some tracks he allowed to display an acerbity not often encountered on his debut.  And though The Choice didn’t quite reach the plateau established by Calima, it was a very promising development to see that Barber wasn’t going to simply be a one-sound musician.

Your album personnel:  Diego Barber (guitar), Ari Hoenig (drums), plus Johannes Weidenmueller (bass) & Seamus Blake (sax) and Larry Grenadier (bass) & Mark Turner (sax).

The Choice was released on Sunnyside Records.

 

Diego Barber & Hugo Cipres – 411

Barber’s 2013 release 411 proved he possessed a fearlessness for exploring new creative directions.

Diego Barber - 411Bringing back the Blake-Weidenmueller-Hoenig trio and teaming up with desktop wizard Hugo Cipres, Barber set course for an entirely new venture.  411 is an electro-acoustic project that brings together laptop effects, thick dynamic grooves, and a fleeting melodicism into a hodgepodge of dominant and recessive qualities that changes ratios from moment to moment.  The song “Poncho” illustrates the potential for genius this approach represents.  The rapid pulse of electronics coalesces with the sussurus of classical guitar and the gentle patter of drums.  It is a song that is both insistent and atmospheric, urgent and placid, contemporary and futuristic, and incorporates many divergent voices into one unique, captivating sound.

And continuing the pattern represented by the change from Calima to The Choice, the 411 project eschews atmospheric potential for a willful groove, choosing to pronounce its big sound within the moment, each and every one, rather than as a gradually built, all-encompassing ambiance.  It was a startling change, and I personally didn’t enjoy all of it, but it was a thrilling moment as a witness to Barber’s evolving sound… to hear the hints and vestiges of Calima and The Choice in an album that was a completely different animal.  There was a palpable sense of adventure, which is a quality that can never be too common in any creative pursuit.

Your album personnel:  Diego Barber (classical & electric guitars, bass), Hugo Cipres (desktop, effects), Seamus Blake (tenor sax, EWI), Johannes Weidenmueller (bass), and Ari Hoenig (drums).

411 was released on the Origin Arts label.

 

Diego Barber & Craig Taborn – Tales

When a listener digs in for the long haul and follows an artist from album #1 to album #100, as long as that artist continues to develop his or her personal voice and, thus, takes risks and follows uncertain paths, two things are certain:  One, the listener isn’t going to like every album the artist releases, and, two, the judgments of like and dislike are often eclipsed by the thrill of new surprises from album to album to album.  411 was proof of that for me personally.  I continue to revisit the album, just because I get to re-experience the shock at hearing this new sound from Barber.

It’s the kind of thing that I got to experience again with Barber’s 2014 recording, Tales.

Diego Barber - "Tales"A duo collaboration with pianist Craig Taborn, it brings together two artists who typically venture into heavily cerebral territory, yet rather than anchoring them down with deeply contemplative thought, it acts as the launching point into melodic expansions unbound and free to flight.

The most arresting feature of Tales is the way the duo travels out far and wide from the opening statement of melody, giving the impression that once it disappears from the rear view mirror, it’s gone for good… but then they suddenly boomerang right back to it and you find yourself staring at the melody through the front windshield.  Opening track “Killian’s Mountains” is the immediate proof of this approach.  It opens with some gorgeous melodicism that you would hope never ends.  When it does, the risk of disappointment is averted by the pursuit of trails that appear endless.  And then suddenly, as if emerging from nowhere, that beautiful melody returns in the middle of the clearing.

Of particular interest about Tales are the rhythmic cross-fades with harmony, how the duo seem to treat both tempo and texture and interchangeable elements on the turn of a dime, and how feverishly they feed off one another.  It’s a quality not that far removed from the swirling electronic mists created on 411, and that’s why it’s a special treat that the two albums share a composition.  “Cipres” is both soothing and urgent, switching between moments of calm and those of dissonance, both states perfectly at ease passing the baton back and forth in the flow of one long breath.  On “Cipres,” the duo’s instruments seem always to be quietly humming fragments of the melody under their breath.  Of relevance, Barber describes his process:  “Before I compose a musical note, I think about the instruments that I want to use and the options of color, texture, melody, rhythm or harmony.  Based on what the instruments offer me and how they inspire me, then I create the composition.”

Just in the way that they flow one from the other, Tales may just as well be considered a four-part suite.  Parts three and four are “Eternal 7” and the album finale “IM Park (to Diego Barber).”  The former bubbles with all kinds of liveliness, the kind of thing where the poetry of the moment is just as much a result of the rhythmic patterns as it is the story being told.  And the latter track concludes things on a contemplative note, siding on the side of graceful elegance and a controlled heartbeat.  But both tracks accentuate how fluidly Barber and his counterpart Taborn are able to shift between classical, folk and jazz forms while subtly building up to breathless displays of beauty.

It’s a big reason why Tales earned the #5 slot on this site’s Best of 2014 list.

Your album personnel:  Diego Barber (classical guitar) and Craig Taborn (piano).

Tales was released on Sunnyside Records.

*****

On the horizon:

Barber is currently working on a new album that features percussionist Alejandro Coello as well as a bass & drums duo.  Based on posts to his Facebook page, it’s looking like it’s Ben Williams and Eric Harland filling those two slots.

After that album is completed, Barber has plans for a classical recording, performing twenty Scarlatti sonatas.

*****

Listen to more album tracks by following the Retail links below to the Bandcamp site.

Retail links:

Calima:  Bandcamp | eMusic | Amazon

The Choice:  Bandcamp | eMusic | Amazon

411:  eMusic | Amazon

Tales:  Bandcamp | eMusic | Amazon

*****

By • Artist Overviews, I Listen To All Of This, Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2009 Releases, Jazz Recommendations - 2011 Releases, Jazz Recommendations - 2013 Releases, Jazz Recommendations - 2014 Releases • 0 • Tags: , ,

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